Composite electroplate.



No. 665,955.; Patented-1an'. l5. Ism.

` w. c. cLousE. CUMPDSIATE ELECTRUP'LATE. (Anuncian med :m4, 1900*.) (unanual.)

llNiTEn STATES PATENT QEEICE.

WARREN CHRIVILIAN CLOUSE, OE KEARNY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO THE CHARLES CRASKE COMPANY.

COMPOSITE ELECTROPLATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 665,955, dated January15, 1901.

Original application filed ll ovember 14, 1898,5eria1 No. 696,474.Divided and this application filed January 4,1900. Serial No. 325. (Nomodel.)

To (L7/Z whom, zit may con/cern:

Be it known that I, WARREN CHRIVILIAN CLOUSE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Kearny, in the county of Hudson and State of NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ColnpositeElectroplates or Eleotrotypes, of which the following is aspecification.

This application is a division of my appli- Io car-ion, Serial No.696,474, filed November 14,

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements uincomposite electroplates or electrotypes in which the half-tone I5originals or etchings for illustration are combined with electrotypes ofreading matter in the manner hereinafter described. The usual method ofpreparing electrotypes of this description has been as follows: Theelectrotype zo of reading matter was first prepared in the Wellknownmannelhereinafter described, but having a blank space the size of thehalftone to be inserted. The portion covered by the blank space was thencut away. The

half-tone being much thinner than the electrotype, it Was necessary toback the same with metal to the thickness of the electrotype. Thehalf-tone after being backed was then fitted to the opening in theelectrotype and 3o soldered in. This process was long, incon- Venient,and expensive, and in spite of the greatest care the half-tone wouldwork loose during printing, causing delay in repairing and frequentlyresulting in injury to the surrounding electrotype.

The object of my invention is to overcome the difficulties heretoforeexisting and to pro. duce an electrotype in which the half-tone andcross-section the mold taken from the parts, as shown in Fig. 2, havingthe half-tone embedded in the mold. Fig. 4 is a plan viewof Fig. 3,showing in addition the method of preparing the half-tone for theelectrodepositing-bath. Fig. 5 is a cross-section along the line 1,1 ofthe completed electrotype,as shown in Fig. l.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In Fig. 2 the type a, the half-tone b, face up, and the base or blankblock c, preferably of metal loosely placed under the half-tone to 6omake it type-high, are represented as locked together in the chase d.The back of the halftone before being placed in the form is indented orstippled for aboutone-quarterof an inch along each edge, as shown inexaggerated form at g in Fig. 4, leaving about one-eighth of an inchalong each edge unindented, as shown at h in said figure. The reason forthe stippling Willhereinafterappear. After being locked in the chase theface of the half-tone 7o may be covered with a film of pitch or similarsubstance to insure its adherence to the mold and to protect theenameled face of the half-tone during the subsequent operations, and atthe conclusion of said operations it may be removed in any suitable Way.The form is then blackleaded to cause it to relieve freely from themolding composition. The form is then molded in the usual way, asillustrated in Fig. 3, in which e des- 8o ignates the metal plate of themold-oase with the edge guards removed, and fthe Wax or moldingcomposition on said plate, the impression having been taken from Fig. 2,as shown, the half-tone being embedded in and adhering to the moldingcomposition face inward, its face being protected by the pitch orsimilar substance above referred to. A strip of Wax about one-eighth ofan inch in width, as shown at t in Fig. 4, may then be placed 9o alongthe edge of the reverse side of the halftone over the unindented portionh in order to prevent the depositing solution from reaching or touchingthe face thereof and to hold the half-tone firmly in the form during theprocess of blackleading. The mold is then thoroughly blackleaded in theusual Way preparatory to being placed in the electrodepositing-bath; butbefore being placed in the bath the exposed back of the half-tone shouldroo .the half-tone.

be freed from black-lead, scraped bright, and preferably a film coatingof Wax placed on the back from the indentations inward, as shown at 7cin Fig. 4., so as to make that portion non-conducting in the bath. Theentire back of the half-tone could of course be stippled and depositedupon; but I have found that by stippling, as hereinbefore described, thedesired security and firmness are obtained. The mold, as described, isthen placed in the electrodepositing-bath and metal deposited thereon inthe usual manner, the metal forming a continuons and unbroken shell overthe form and over the edges of the half-tone to the Wax lm in the centerthereof, as shown at m in Fig. 5, entering into the indentations in suchmanner as to form a perfect union between the electrotype and thehalf-tone, the two forming practically one plate. If the Wax strip used,the deposited metal Will be nnattached to the half-tone at the edgesthereof, as shown at r1. in Fig. 5, as 1l prevents the deposited metalfrom coming into contact with the half-tone, and in this case it is notnecessary to stipple to the VeXtreme edge of The said shell andhalf-tone are then relieved from the mold, the WaX on the back of thehalf-tone being removed by any suitable means, such as hot Water andlye, and the shell is then ready to receive the metal backing. TheWashing With hot Water and lye perfectly cleanses the back of thehalf-tone, so that the metal backing may Iirmly adhere to it. The Wholeshell may be acidified in preparation for the metal backing, which isplaced on in the usual way and finished in the same manner as ordinaryelectrotypes, the completed electrotype being shownr in cross-section inFig. 5.

By this method I obtain economically and quickly the perfectincorporation of the halftone with an eleetrotype'of reading matter, asset. forth.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. An electrotype in Which a half-toneor etched or engraved plate and an electrotypeshell are united by thesame metal as that of which the said shell is composed, substantially asherein described.

2. An electrotype in which a half-tone or etched or engraved plate andan electrotypeshell are united by the extension around the edges of saidplate and over the back thereof of a portion of the electrodepositedmetal of which the said shell is composed, substantially as hereindescribed.

3. An electrotype in which a half-tone or etched or engraved plate andan electrotypeshell are united by the extension around the edges of saidplate and over the back thereof of a portion of the electrodepositedmetal of which the said shell is composed, said electrodeposited metalentering into indent-ations on the back of the half-tone, substantiallyas herein described.

WARREN CHRIVILIAN CLOUSE.

